A significant percentage of the world's population suffers from various respiratory disorders, such as asthma, hay fever, and common allergies. Such ailments are frequently caused or made worse by airborne microbes and particulates in a given environment. Air quality of indoor environments is commonly the main cause of such respiratory illnesses, even when indoor environments comprise one or more air filtration devices or methods.
Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) is critical to human comfort and health. As the need for IAQ increases, a plethora of air cleaning devices are brought to market with the focus on increased efficiency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that the best method to improve IAQ is to control the source and provide proper ventilation by letting clean air flow through from the outside. However, air filtration devices can also be used in conjunction with this method to aid the effectiveness of IAQ. Filters with a high Minimum Efficiency Report Value (“MERV” rating) focus on efficiency, whereas effectiveness focuses on the overall cleaning power or efficacy of surfaces and filters.
Most modern indoor spaces are temperature controlled by systems that draw air from the indoor environment to a Heating-Ventilation-Air-Conditioning (“HVAC”) unit including a furnace, air conditioner, and/or similar device(s). After heating or cooling, air is typically forced through supply ducts leading to supply vents within the interior space to maintain a desired temperature and/or humidity level within the interior space. During this process, air is generally directed through one or more filters to trap particulate, dust, dirt and germs and remove such pollutants from the air flow. The filter(s) may be provided at various locations within a system.
Microbes, such as mold, bacteria and fungus often grow within the ducts, particularly if moisture becomes trapped in the air supply system. These microbes, as well as various other particulates and pollutants, may be delivered to an associated indoor environment and enter the lungs of inhabitants. As noted above, these airborne particles and microbes are unhealthy and will cause respiratory illnesses including, but not limited to, asthma and bronchitis.
Common HVAC filters were originally designed to protect a furnace from particles in the air, thereby increasing the usable life of a furnace and preventing damage to the same. However, as the awareness of indoor air quality and associated health risks increased, commercial focus has been placed on efficiency of HVAC filters. Many systems, however, overlook the effectiveness of IAQ devices.
The EPA has outlined various issues with existing furnace filtration products. These issues include, for example, mold growth, dust cake buildup, leaks, air mixing, and other issues that prevent efficient and effective air filtration.
Prior art air filtration devices generally comprise disposable filter elements. Such devices include, for example, various commercially air filters available from FILTRETE™. Such devices are generally intended to be inserted into a pre-existing air filtration or HVAC system and filter a certain amount of air until they are intended to be removed, discarded, and replaced. Such devices are designed and intended to operate for a limited amount of time and thereafter become permanent waste to be conveyed to a landfill or recycling operation, and immediately replaced by another filter.
Prior art air filtration devices typically comprise a or textured ridged surface attached to a frame that is not easily removed from the surface once assembled. The filter media is typically made up of non-woven thick spongy porous fibers designed to capture high quantities of dust. Such devices are not machine washable or machine dryable. Additionally, existing packaging, shipping methods, warehousing methods and retail display devices all require additional space and careful handling due to the nature of the fully assembled frames and fragile media within.
Accordingly, there exists a long-felt and unmet need for an air filtration device that can remove various particulates, pollutants, and microbes from an air flow. There further exists a need to provide such a filter that is also a reusable device, wherein the reusable device is washable and wherein waste is significantly reduced. There is also a need for enhanced packaging, shipping, and storing methods for air filtration devices wherein packing efficiency is increased and overall required space is reduced.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0060695 to Hepburn, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a high-velocity air filter that is washable and reusable. Various features and devices of Hepburn are contemplated for use and inclusion with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Hepburn, however, fails to teach or disclose features of the present invention including, but not limited, various features of a detachable and machine-washable component for an air filter device as shown and described herein.